City under attack by a mad man

[KaneM]

So, one of my antagonists is a mad bomber style villain he's obsessed with "games" and goes to twisted lengths to prove his intellect. My main character is a civiliain and has the misfortune of gaining the psychos attention. It's pretty much a scenario where he plants bombs across the city and expects the main character to play his game to find them. The main character has to work with a cop who doesn't trust or want the a civilian's help but the psycho will detonate all his bombs if his rules are not followed.

I'm just curious what would actual police do in a situation like this?

[Aidokea]

So, one of my antagonists is a mad bomber style villain he's obsessed with "games" and goes to twisted lengths to prove his intellect. My main character is a civiliain and has the misfortune of gaining the psychos attention. It's pretty much a scenario where he plants bombs across the city and expects the main character to play his game to find them. The main character has to work with a cop who doesn't trust or want the a civilian's help but the psycho will detonate all his bombs if his rules are not followed.

I'm just curious what would actual police do in a situation like this?

Call Batman. It just seems like the type of crime-fighting best left to a guy that wears his underwear on the outside.

[CCCSD]

So, one of my antagonists is a mad bomber style villain he's obsessed with "games" and goes to twisted lengths to prove his intellect. My main character is a civiliain and has the misfortune of gaining the psychos attention. It's pretty much a scenario where he plants bombs across the city and expects the main character to play his game to find them. The main character has to work with a cop who doesn't trust or want the a civilian's help but the psycho will detonate all his bombs if his rules are not followed.

I'm just curious what would actual police do in a situation like this?

Can the Bus go slower than 50? It’s important.

[Captain Max]

A cop would tell him, "Listen. I don't like you, and you don't like me, but lets work together to lock up this clown then we'll never have to see each other again." After a long chase in which the cop car goes airborne at intersections and tires squeal on dirt roads, the perp and and cop face off, the cop says something cool, and shoots the perp 100 yards away with his Glock 22 without notifying Dispatch. He and the civilian say goodbye but agree to get together for lunch sometime.

[clof2001]

So, one of my antagonists is a mad bomber style villain he's obsessed with "games" and goes to twisted lengths to prove his intellect. My main character is a civiliain and has the misfortune of gaining the psychos attention. It's pretty much a scenario where he plants bombs across the city and expects the main character to play his game to find them. The main character has to work with a cop who doesn't trust or want the a civilian's help but the psycho will detonate all his bombs if his rules are not followed.

I'm just curious what would actual police do in a situation like this?

Tell my Sergeant and call in sick for the next few days.

Are any of the bombs at doughnut shops?

[Aidokea]

I always tried to bank as much sick time as possible, for whenever I became afflicted with the type of discretionary illness that I treated by working on my tan and abusing my liver.

[Captain Max]

Seriously Mr. Kane, Police do not allow a madman nor a 'civilian' run roughshod at the threat of detonating a bomb. A baker's in charge of his donut shop and a law enforcement officer is in charge of his investigation.

[just joe]

Wait and see if a bomb goes off.

[Joe2845]

When I read the title of this thread, I naturally assumed that you were referring to any one of the mayors or district attorneys in most large cities.

[Aidokea]

No kidding...

[tanksoldier]

Bomb threats are incredibly easy to track these days. The ATF, the NSA and everybody down to the Cub Scouts will be pouring resources into the investigation especially after the first bomb goes off. Remember the Boston marathon? Yes, bombs went off…. and the bombers were picked out of a crowd of thousands and hunted down within hours.

Most of the movie tropes you see are just that: Hollywood.

What is the bomber’s motive: why is he doing this?

How does the bomber communicate with the police?

How does he plant his bombs? How does he set them off?

Where did he learn to make bombs? Where did he get the materials to make his bombs? Where does he store his materials? Where is his bomb factory?

Has he made dry runs? Has he set off test bombs?

Without going into details, the answers to each of these questions is a weakness that can/will be exploited to identify the bomber…. usually before they set off their first real bomb.

You’ll note there are plenty of crazy people in the world, but no mad bombers like you describe. There’s a reason why.

[BNWS]

Here's a real mad bomber.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Metesky

[tanksoldier]

Here's a real mad bomber.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Metesky

Yes, almost a hundred years ago…. And he didn’t communicate the way the OP is describing. OP is describing Batman’s Joker.

Every communication is an opportunity to identify the bomber.

[BNWS]

I know. I just thought the case was interesting.